A MAN has been charged with spitting on officers who went to investigate a reported noise complaint at his home near Tamworth.
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Senior Oxley police have labelled the incident "disgusting" and condemned the alleged actions by the man who was released on bail to answer several charges in court.
"This is a deplorable act, in the current climate; it's disgusting and it's against the law," Oxley Detective Acting Inspector Jason Darcy told the Leader.
Police had been called to the Susan Street home in Kootingal late at night on Good Friday after a noise complaint and reports of a gathering at the home.
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The 31-year-old is alleged to have turned on police, spitting on them and abusing them when questioned about being in breach of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
"Police will allege in court the officers were verbally abused and spat on and those actions resulted in a 31-year-old being detained for assaulting police, resisting arrest and offensive language," Detective Darcy said.
"Police have a job to do to enforce the laws of this state and that's what they were doing on the occasion and they don't deserve to be subjected to behaviour like this, no one in the community does."
The 31-year-old was granted conditional bail to front court in Tamworth in June.
The incident was one of several that kept officers on the move on the weekend, enforcing strict social distancing measures, double demerits and cracking down on property crime.
$1000 fines issued
Highway patrol police stopped a car on Duri Road in West Tamworth, just after 2pm on Sunday.
Police said the five occupants inside the car told police "they were hanging out and going for a drive".
Officers conducted several identity checks on the individuals and revealed three of the five - aged in their late teens and early 20s - had already been warned by police for "doing the same thing on previous occasions".
Police slapped a 19-year-old, along with a 21 and a 24-year-old man with $1000 penalty notices for breaching the Public Health Act.
The two other occupants of the car were given official police warnings, under the same laws.
On Easter Monday, Oxley police stopped a car on Henry Street in Werris Creek at about 9am.
They spoke with the 41-year-old man behind the wheel about his travel. Checks revealed the same man had been previously warned about breaching the Public Health Act and his bail.
"Despite the previous warnings the man told police he thought he'd be alright this time," a NSW Police spokesperson said.
He was issued a notice to front court for breaching his bail, along with a $1000 PIN for breaching a COVID-19 police direction.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
